Strong jaw line and high cheek bones are considered aesthetically pleasing
qualities of the face. Some patients benefit from enhancement of those
areas. Facial prostheses, such as chin and cheek implants, often used
to create a stronger chin and jaw line and higher placed or fuller cheeks.
Facial fullness, definition and profile are ususally significantly improved
with placement of chin implant, otherwise known as mentoplasty, or placement
of cheek implant, also known as malarplasty. Patients often consider facial
implants as an adjunct procedure to a nose surgery (rhinoplasty) or a
facelift procedure. This procedure is custom tailored for each individual
patient’s needs. Dr. Rayham will address your specific concerns
and will provide you with detailed information to help choose specific
approach to your facial implant procedure.

The implants themselves are made of either a soft malleable silicone type
of material or hard durable material (Medpore). The silicone used in facial
implants is FDA approved and is not known to leak or cause any side effects.
Either type of facial implant material should last for years.

Dr. Rayham performs chin and cheek implant procedures in his offices or
hospital setting in Manhattan/NYC, Brooklyn or Staten Island, New York.
The Facial Implant procedure generally lasts from one to two hours. It
is usually done under local anesthesia with twilight sedation. Sometimes
general anesthesia is utilized, especially if procedure is being performed
in conjunction with other procedures and prolonged operative time is anticipated.

For Chin Implant procedure, a small incision is usually created within
the mouth or under the chin and implant is placed onto the forward surface
of the chin bone. Small sutures are placed at the incision site. These
sutures don’t need to be removed and are absorbed by you body. For
Cheek Implant procedure, incisions are created either within the mouth,
or in the lower eyelids. If cheek implants are placed during a facelift
procedure, no additional incisions are required. In those instances the
skin incision used for facelift is used to access the cheek implant placement
site. There is usually no sutures that need to be removed after cheek
implant placement.

Q: What Should I Anticipate After the Procedure?

Upon completion of the operation bandages are placed around the face and
chin areas. The next day, dressings are removed. The amount of swelling
that you may get is variable. Keeping the head elevated may reduce the
swelling. Liquid diet is required for several days after the surgery.
You can resume regular diet within three days and most normal activities
within a week. You should show very few signs of your procedure by three
weeks. Although some minor pain is usually associated with immediate postoperative
period, it can be effectively treated with oral medication. While complications
are rare, patients can minimize potential problems by carefully following
the directions given after the procedure. Dr. Rayham encourages his patients
to refrain from smoking for several weeks before and after the surgery.
Also, if you wear glasses, we will show you how to position and tape them
in such a way to prevent undue pressure that may negatively influence
your healing process.

Facial implants placement by itself is an outpatient procedure. If you
live in New York or nearby, you can go home the day of your procedure.
If you are out of town and your facial implant procedure was done in combination
with a facelift or other procedures, you may need to stay overnight in
a hospital or one of our recommended hotels and can be driven home or
fly home the next day following your postoperative check-up with Dr. Rayham.

Q: Am I a Candidate for a Chin Implant or Cheek Implant Surgery?

You may be a candidate for a facial implant procedure if you have any of
the above concerns and if you are in overall good health to undergo an
operation. Click
here if you’d like to email Dr. Rayham with a question or a concern.